


you're you

by gortysproject



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: Eiffel Really Can't Keep His Cool, Everyone Is Kind Of Traumatised, Kepler Isn't Entirely Unhelpful For Once, M/M, Screenplay/Script Format, Spoilers up to Episode 42 (Time To Kill)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 18:29:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9561479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gortysproject/pseuds/gortysproject
Summary: The module reconnects with the Hephaestus after their four-day mission. Kepler has questions, and nobody has answers.Plus, Eiffel's plausibly dire situation, incoherent screaming, alien impostors, and hoping for more than a kiss.





	

**Author's Note:**

> set immediately (well, 70 hours, to be precise) after the events of 'time to kill'. i wanted to try writing a fanfic as a script. it's probably all completely wrong but hey ho first try. 
> 
> also go me for finally like... writing actual ship stuff instead of "bland but implied" ship stuff. i'm taking a big leap today, folks

INT. U.S.S. HEPHAESTUS STATION – COMMS ROOM – 0400 HOURS

There is a quiet but rhythmic THUDDING as Kepler drums his fingers on the console. Minkowski is waiting behind him silently. It has not been an easy 70 hours for the Hephaestus crew.

The comms CRACKLE as contact is made with the module. Kepler stops drumming his fingers and looks up, allowing the CRACKLING SOUND to die down slowly.

KEPLER  
Hera? Have you made contact?

HERA  
(glitching heavily)  
Not yet, sir, let me just…

There is a SHARP BURST OF STATIC as Hera connects to the module successfully. Mild BACKGROUND INTERFERENCE is heard from the comms, but not loud enough to obstruct any incoming voices.

HERA  
Colonel Kepler? You are connected now.

KEPLER  
Thank you.  
(beat)  
Kepler to Module. Module, do you copy?

There is a small stretch of silence, presumably as Eiffel makes his way over to the comms.

EIFFEL  
(over comms)  
Colonel, Module can hear you loud and clear. Well. Loud. Not clear. The connection’s awful.

KEPLER  
(light-hearted)  
Officer Eiffel. I trust all has gone well? Nothing dire to report?

EIFFEL  
(strained)  
Um. Well. Define… _dire_.

KEPLER  
(not light-hearted anymore)  
What happened.

EIFFEL  
You might wanna talk to Jacobi about that one. Or Lovelace. Or Maxwell. In fact, you could just—

KEPLER  
(interrupting)  
You are the communications officer for this mission, are you not? _Communicate_.

There is a brief RUSTLING. Perhaps even a quiet YELP, courtesy of Eiffel.

LOVELACE  
(over comms)  
The mission went according to plan, sir. All data has been collected. Every crew member is… accounted for. We’re on course to meet with the Hephaestus in twenty-five hours.

KEPLER  
Captain, would _you_ mind filling me in on Eiffel’s plausibly dire situation?

LOVELACE  
We’re fine. Everything else can be discussed in the mission debrief.

KEPLER  
Am I keeping you from something, Captain?

LOVELACE  
No, sir.

KEPLER  
Then talk. To. Me.

BEAT.

LOVELACE  
We had an… incident.

Kepler shares a look with Minkowski. If Hera had eyes, he would share this look with her, too. He faces back to the comms panel afterwards.

KEPLER  
Is anybody hurt?

LOVELACE  
No, sir.  
(beat)  
Probably not.

KEPLER  
_Probably_?

EIFFEL  
Jacobi might be dead.

LOVELACE  
_Eiffel_.

KEPLER  
_What_?

JACOBI  
(over comms)  
I’m not dead!

There is a long pause as Kepler tries to figure out what is going on. The module’s crew all wait for him to speak. The radio is still CRACKLING quietly in the background.

KEPLER  
What…

MAXWELL  
(over comms)  
I…  
(beat)  
I agree with Lovelace. We should really leave this for the mission debrief.

BEAT.

KEPLER  
Alright. We’ll reconnect in 25 hours.

CUT TO:

 

INT. U.S.S. HEPHAESTUS STATION – HANGAR BAY – 0500 HOURS

Minkowski, Hera and Hilbert have spent the past day doing everything they can to avoid Kepler. In turn, Kepler has done everything he can to avoid them as well. None of them would dare mention how tense he has been acting since the call.

All three of the Hephaestus’ current crew are waiting in the Hangar Bay for the Module to dock safely. There is a BEEPING ALARM not dissimilar to that of a reversing truck. The sound of METAL CREAKING follows as the alarm cuts off; a series of HISSES come after when the doors begin to open and the module adjusts to the Hephaestus’ atmosphere.

The exterior airlock hatch opens with another HISS. Lovelace emerges first, followed by Maxwell, then Jacobi, then Eiffel. All of them look as though they haven’t slept properly for the past, say, 95 hours. Lovelace looks marginally less overtired than the rest of them.

Kepler regards each of them. Eiffel’s hands are trembling. Maxwell avoids his eyes. Lovelace regards him back. Jacobi looks… empty.

KEPLER  
Well?

LOVELACE  
(is he going to say something else)  
…Sir?

KEPLER  
What happened during and after the storm that led Officer Eiffel to question whether Mr Jacobi was still with us or not?

LOVELACE  
(oh, right)  
We… made contact. With something that – um. It sounded exactly like Jacobi.

KEPLER  
(slightly surprised)  
What did it say?

LOVELACE  
It… ah. Well.

EIFFEL  
It said a lot.  
(beat)  
My personal favourite was, _this is the real Daniel Jacobi, let me inside_. But it also featured excellent hits, such as _, I know everything about Maxwell because I’m Jacobi_ , and let’s not forget _you can’t leave me out here to die_ , and – oh, yeah, the _incoherent screaming_ as he was ripped apart by the storm.

LOVELACE  
(lowly)  
You’re not helping.

KEPLER  
The alien tried to get inside the module?

MAXWELL  
He… tried to convince us he was Jacobi.

KEPLER  
And so you left it outside.

MAXWELL  
We didn’t _want_ to.

KEPLER  
You didn’t want to? Then what stopped you?

LOVELACE  
I removed the motion sensor for the airlock.  
(beat)  
By the book, remember?

KEPLER  
I see. Did you get a visual on this… creature?

LOVELACE  
No, sir.

KEPLER  
So the only difference between this voice and Eiffel’s voice y’all heard before was that this one was trying to trick you into believing it _was_ Jacobi.

EIFFEL  
Yeah. Basically.

KEPLER  
What made you believe it?

MAXWELL  
We – well, _I_ designed some questions. Things only Jacobi would know. Things we hadn’t discussed since we arrived on the Hephaestus.

KEPLER  
And?

MAXWELL  
(troubled)  
And both of them replied correctly, sir.

KEPLER  
Ah. So, to be safe, you wanted both of them inside the module.  
(beat)  
And this was before the storm started?

MAXWELL  
Yes, sir. As far as we’re aware, he… he died when the storm hit.

KEPLER  
Right. As Eiffel put it, you heard its… _incoherent screaming._

MAXWELL  
…Yes, sir.

KEPLER  
Mr Jacobi?

BEAT. Everyone looks at Jacobi, who has stayed silent throughout this entire talk. He seems slightly startled to be called upon.

JACOBI  
…Yes?

KEPLER  
Are you an alien impostor?

JACOBI  
No, sir.

KEPLER  
Are you confident your doppelganger from outside the module _was_ an alien impostor?

JACOBI  
(long hesitation)  
No, sir.

Judging from Kepler’s expression, this clearly isn’t the answer he expected.

KEPLER  
Dismissed.

LOVELACE  
Sir—

KEPLER  
(interrupting)  
You’re _dismissed_ , Captain.

The group begin to file out of the Hangar Bay. Minkowski and Hilbert follow them. Kepler stops Jacobi from leaving by pressing a hand against his chest as Jacobi goes past.

KEPLER  
(quietly)  
My quarters. Fifteen minutes.

Jacobi nods once before leaving. Kepler is left alone in the Hangar Bay.

CUT TO:

 

INT. U.S.S. URANIA – KEPLER’S QUARTERS – 0530 HOURS

When Kepler arrives, Jacobi is already waiting outside. The door opens with a WHOOSH, and the two men go inside silently. The door closes with a similar WHOOSH.

KEPLER  
What do you mean?

JACOBI  
(what)  
Sir?

KEPLER  
You said you knew you were human, but you didn’t know if the outsider was an alien.

JACOBI  
I – I meant that he sounded exactly like me. He did everything… exactly like I would. He knew everything I knew. That’s impossible.  
(beat)  
He _was_ me, sir.

KEPLER  
It was a skilled actor with some background information. There are plenty of ways this can be rationalised, Mr Jacobi, and you should know that as a rational man.

JACOBI  
Unless that _was_ Jacobi and I _am_ the impostor.

KEPLER  
Jacobi.

JACOBI  
That’s another pretty rational explanation, sir.

KEPLER  
_Jacobi_.

Kepler raises his hand to grip Jacobi’s chin and force him to look up at him. When Jacobi complies easily, the grip softens, and Kepler’s hand moves instead to cradle Jacobi’s face. His thumb strokes over his cheekbone. Jacobi’s eyes close.

KEPLER  
Take today off.

Jacobi’s eyes snap back open.

JACOBI  
Sir, I don’t need—

KEPLER  
(interrupting)  
It will apply to everybody who was on the module. Not just you. It sounds like all four of you went through… quite the ordeal.

BEAT.

JACOBI  
Thank you, sir.

KEPLER  
Don’t mention it.  
(beat)  
Forget about this, Daniel.

JACOBI  
Forget about…

KEPLER  
All of it. It’ll do you no good to dwell on what just happened.

JACOBI  
Sir, with all due respect, nobody else is gonna forget about it.

KEPLER  
(patiently)  
Then they can bring their queries to me, and I can tell them _I don’t care, shut up and do your job_.

Jacobi CHUCKLES.

KEPLER  
You’re you, Jacobi. You really think I wouldn’t know if there were aliens on my station?

As this conversation has progressed, Kepler has been leaning in extremely slowly, but now his face is only a couple of inches from Jacobi’s. His hand is still on Jacobi’s cheek.

JACOBI  
No. Yeah, okay.

KEPLER  
I haven’t convinced you.

JACOBI  
You didn’t hear him – _it_.

KEPLER  
No, you’re right. I didn’t. But I’m hearing you, right now, and that’s all I need. Are we clear?  
(beat)  
Are we clear, Mr Jacobi?

JACOBI  
Yes, sir.

Jacobi looks up at Kepler and, as always, leans in to initiate the KISS. Kepler reciprocates easily, but carefully.

KEPLER  
Welcome back, Daniel.

Jacobi HUFFS A LAUGH as Kepler pulls away.

JACOBI  
You know, I’m pretty sure the _welcome back_ part is supposed to come _before_ the interrogation.

KEPLER  
Have we ever followed the rules?

JACOBI  
No. Guess not.  
(beat)  
I _was_ hoping for more than a kiss, though. I was gone for four days.

Kepler LAUGHS.

KEPLER  
I believe we have other business to attend to at the moment.  
(thoughtful)  
But perhaps I should take today off, too.

FADE OUT.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!! find me @aihera on tumblr.


End file.
